01122018 weekend

Friday, January 12, 2018

art theatre film fashion history beauty puzzles gardening

Weekend

GET RAINBOW HAIR Page 8

A time for ‘Uprising’ Artist advocates for decolonisation

Interview, pgs 4 & 5

02 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, January 12, 2018

environment

Diving into adventure High school students rave about ‘extraordinary’ experience with BESS

ALEXIS Saunders takes coral measurements.

A

fter months of field trips, school presentations, coral reef restoration, marine life surveys, shark education, and not to forget turtle tagging, Alexis Saunders and Krystynia Pyfrom are eagerly preparing for an exciting semester at The Island School in Cape Eleuthera.

Alexis and Krystynia are recent high school graduates who completed a fourmonth paid internship in December as the first part of their experience in the Bahamas Environmental Steward Scholars (BESS) Programme 2017/18 cycle.

In March, they will join youth from around the world for the spring semester at The Island School, a unique sustainable living campus where students discover sustainable solutions to real-world problems using the environment on South Eleuthera as their classroom.

They are trading places with Kenaro Malcolm and Jason Petty who completed The Island School Fall 2017 semester and are soon starting their internships with BREEF and the Bahamas National Trust in New Providence.

“I embraced the experience and plunged into a whole semester of adventure, science and relationships.

Research groups, shark diving, intense morning workouts and ocean expeditions are just a few particulars of the amazing things I’ve done at the Island School,” said Kenaro.

“My experience at The Island School has been nothing but spectacular. My favourite part of The Island School is and always will be the community.

JASON Petty says he enjoyed the sense of community at The Island School.

KENARO Malcolm on a dive.

ALEXIS Saunders and Krystynia Pyfrom are looking forward to their semester at The Island School in Cape Eleuthera.

Everyone is there to help you in your quest and they want nothing but the best for you,” said Jason.

The BESS Programme is a one-year mentorship course for graduating high school students in the Bahamas with a keen interest in the environment, ecotourism and sustainable development.

Since 2008, 41 young Bahamians have benefitted from this exceptional educational experience, with most scholars going on to pursue related tertiary studies and/or are now employed in the field.

BESS gives special thanks to all its partners, donors and sponsors whose support makes these opportunities possible.

BREEF is now accepting applications from graduating high school students (15 to 18 years old.) for the 2018/19 BESS Programme cycle. Visit www.islandschool.org/bess-1 or https:// breef.org/youth-education/bess-programme/ or call BREEF at 327-9000 for applications and information.

The application deadline is February 15, 2018.

The Tribune | Weekend | 03

Friday, January 12, 2018

Inside Weekend Interview 4-5 Cara Hunt speaks with Kishan Munroe about his latest work inspired by ‘decolonising the postcolonial’

Beauty 7 - 8 Get on board with new trends for 2018, including rainbow coloured hair

Fashion 9 Local designer shows she’s all about that Bahamian life with clever T-shirts

Entertainment 10 Dive into two days of ‘Tru Tru’ Bahamian celebrations

Theatre 11 Noted playwright Rakel Dean airs her ‘Dirty Laundry’ at the Dundas

Entrepreneurship 12 Hard work takes Gary Sands to the next level

Photography 14 - 15 Grit meets glamour in a new magazine shoot by Shawn Hanna

Film 17 - 18 Excitement increases for ‘Black Panther’, plus ‘All the Money in the World’ reviewed

Art 19 - 21 Antonius Roberts receives the Queen’s Honour, plus the NAGB looks ahead for 2018

Literary Lives 22 - 24 A legendary photographer finds inspiration from depression

Forgotten Facts 25 Paul C Aranha goes 20,000 leagues under the sea

Puzzles 26

Animals 27 The saga of Squirt the terrapin, plus Pet of the Week

Gardening 28 Jack Hardy talks passion fruit

Cover | Kishan Munroe, “The Black Cloth Uprising”

My perfect Bahamian weekend Elijah Delancy Team Bahamas golfer Q: Saturday breakfast or Sunday lunch?

“I prefer Sunday lunch.

After church, the whole family gets together and it’s a big meal.”

Q: Wine, rum, cocktail or Kalik?

“Kalik! When I come home from university I enjoy a nice cold Kalik to calm down after all that school work stress.

Q: Beach or sofa?

“At school I like to chill on the sofa, get on my laptop, get on social media,

but as soon as I get home it’s the beach for me.”

Q: What is the one thing that you can’t live without?

“Food! I love food; food brings me happiness, in all honesty. I look forward to a good meal, especially after a day out on the golf course.”

Q: Weekend away, where would you go and why?

“I would probably go to Europe or somewhere on the east side of the world.

I want to experience different cultures.”

Things 2 Do this weekend Friday

• RE:1 - Residency Exhibition I Time: 6pm - 8pm Venue: The Current, Baha Mar Artists Janeen Walker, Sue Katz and Kerry China are displaying their work in the first ever Residency Exhibition at Baha Mar.

• “Dirty Laundry” premiere Time: 8pm (encore on Saturday) Venue: Dundas Centre for Performing Arts SEE PAGE 11

In addition to being the packet pickup location fur runners, the expo offers a wide array of sports and health related vendors, giveaways and products for healthier living. Entry is free.

• Dominique Knowles’ Artist Talk + Performance Time: 3pm - 5pm Venue: National Art Gallery of the Bahamas Emerging painter Dominique Knowles will use the newly opened amphitheatre and the NAGB grounds.

• Susan G Komen Race for the Cure Time: 7am - 9am Start: Montagu Beach The route takes participants from Montagu Beach to Paradise Island.

Parking is available at Montagu, office buildings’ parking in the area and at Harbour Bay. The 5k race focuses on supporting those with the fewest resources: uninsured, under-insured and low-income women and men unable to access care.

• Race Weekend Health & Fitness Expo Time: 3pm - 7pm Venue: Meliá Nassau Beach Resort

• Marathon Bahamas Race Weekend 2018 Time: 6am Start: Junkanoo Beach The ninth annual marathon weekend (relay, marathon, halfmarathon) is an event is designed to attract participants from a cross section of the local Bahamian and international communities including: club runners, national standard runners, tourist runners, charity runners, elite runners and walkers.

It is a Boston Marathon qualifier race.

• Baha Fest Auditions Time: 10am - 5pm Venue: Thomas A Robinson National Stadium

Saturday

Sunday

These auditions are for the worship team at the upcoming Baha Fest. Persons must be able to sing on pitch, be able to hear and sing a harmony part for a given melody, be able to reproduce a harmony part for a given song consistently, and be able to control vocal elements such as volume and vibrato.

The ability to sing in different styles is very desirable.

• “Labour on the Blocks” Community Job Recruitment & Registration Drive Time: 11am - 3pm Venue: Sarah Ingraham Park, Hospital Lane and Cambridge Street The Department of Labour will be registering individuals in the Bain & Grants Town on the PCRecruiter database in an effort to match job seekers with potential job opportunities.

• Learn Archery in the Bahamas Time: 2.30pm Venue: St Paul’s Field, Lyford Cay Bahamas Archery offers archery instruction, training, club membership and archery equipment supply and maintenance for individuals and schools throughout Nassau.

For detailed information, visit bahamasarchery.com.

04 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, January 12, 2018

interview As the country observes 51 years of Majority Rule, artist and social commentator Kishan Munroe tells Cara Hunt how he hopes his latest project, “The Black Cloth Uprising”, will inspire Bahamians to think about the power in finally decolonising the postcolonial.

K

ishan Munroe has always used his artistic talent to make a broader social commentary on issues affecting not only the Bahamas but the world. And his latest work, “The Black Cloth Uprising”, is no exception. This time around, the artist used oil paints and brushes to take a critical look at the state of a postcolonial Bahamas. The painting was unveiled just in time to coincide with the country’s observance of the 51st anniversary of Majority Rule on Wednesday.

The painting features a young man submerged in water. In one hand he is holding a mace, the symbol of royal authority, while the other hand is held aloft clutching a black cloth. His face is partially hidden by a stylised Guy Fawkes mask. Guy Fawkes was member of a group of provincial English Catholics who planned the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605 to blow up the House of Lords and assassinate King James I of England.

Kishan explained that he wanted to confront the universal issues of power, sovereignty and revolution from a uniquely Bahamian prospective.

“The painting shows a young man...displaced...struggling, in the rose-tinted waters of a perilous paradise that has already been defined for him,” he told Tribune Weekend.

“This is a figurative representation of the Bahamian people’s struggles in distress, but he still manages to stay above water, fatigued, yet resilient and strong. Independently he has journeyed a

Kishan Munroe great distance, but in order to survive he must truly divorce himself from the heavy, unnecessary burdens weighing him down. He must be willing to lose ‘power’ to gain strength.”

It is a notion the artist wonders Bahamians are willing to accept, given the fact that many still cling to the trappings of past colonisation, buying into such symbols as the Queen’s Honours and membership in the Commonwealth.

He added that it was a deliberate choice of his to use of the

“We continue to assassinate those who go against the system. As an assumingly decolonised society, we often wear the persona of revolution, but it is all too often nothing more than that...just a mask.”

symbols and the colours seen in the piece.

“These allegorical compositions act as an anthropological chronicle, tracking the development of society; moments and eras of our nation’s collective struggle – from Independence to the present,” he explained.

The primary use of blues and pinks also has a deeper meaning.

“Referencing the colonial heritage of the Caribbean, I shape these dynamic compositions using the pastel pinks (from the flamingo) and blues of the popular Caribbean colonial palette, speaking to the climate of neocolonialism we arguably find ourselves in, still, despite our proclamations of independence. This colour scheme also draws reference to the condescending mindset some Europeans once held regarding what they considered the brute culture of the Caribbean: vibrant colours were viewed as a sign of ‘unsophistication’, with the more muted European colour palette an indication of a refined culture/society.”

Kishan explained why he chose the mace as a central symbol in the composition: “Originally it was a blunt medieval weapon used to bludgeon one’s enemy in battle. As time progressed it became an embellished ceremonial symbol of power and sovereignty. Fixed atop the Bahamian mace is a crown, which represents the British monarchy. Surviving the silent revolution for independence, this mace is still recognised as the symbol of supreme power and authority in the

The Tribune | Weekend |05

Friday, January 12, 2018

“When you look at history, whenever there was progress and periods of change you can see that artists helped to drive that progress, from the time of the cavemen drawing on caves to now.”

“Sacrifice” from Kishan Munroe’s “Swan Song of the Flamingo” series

“The Black Cloth Uprising”

in the governance of an independent Commonwealth of the Bahamas, 51 years after Majority Rule. These contradictions of true independence are perpetuated every five years when members of a new government administration, like former subjects, ceremoniously swear allegiance to the British Crown.”

Kishan noted that he chose the Guy Fawkes mask because the revolutionary is an universally recognised symbol of protest.

“Guy Fawkes, one who had the audacity to go against colonial rule, has been ingrained in our psyche and our culture. We continue to assassinate those who go against the system.

As an assumingly decolonised society, we often wear the persona of revolution, but it is all too often nothing more than that...just a mask.”

Kishan’s hope is that his painting will inspire people to contemplate whether this is the self-portrait that Bahamians should paint for themselves more than half a century after Majority Rule.

“Is this what we have been posing for, or rather, deliberately positioned for (by our political representatives), for all these years?” he asked.

He noted that although the world is in a postcolonialism period, the effects of colonisation are still very much apparent.

“Just look at what happened in the Puerto Rico in the aftermath of the hurricanes when they tried to get assistance, it was like, ‘You are a part of us, but when you need assistance, you are not really us’. We are placed

on the table for consumption, rather than being given a place at the table. “ “The Black Cloth Uprising” is only one in a series of paintings Kishan has created to help portray the universal human experience. The project took the artist on a 16-month journey throughout parts of the Caribbean as well as South, Central and North America where he saw first-hand how people of different cultures and socio-economic conditions live.

It also follows his highly acclaimed “Swan Song of the Flamingo” exhibit which commemorated the sinking of the HMBS Flamingo by the Cuban air force in 1980. After the Royal Defence Force apprehended two Cuban vessels for illegally fishing in Bahamian waters, Cuban air fighters breached Bahamian airspace, eventually sinking the HMBS Flamingo and killing four of its 19 crewmen.

Kishan did extensive research of the event before he created the exhibition.

“It’s important for artists to use their talent to speak out about issues,” he said. “When you look at history, whenever there was progress and periods of change you can see that artists helped to drive that progress, from the time of the cavemen drawing on caves to now.”

Moving forward, Kishan said his future work will follow the style and themes of “Swan Song of the Flamingo” and “The Black Cloth Uprising” in addressing social issues still affecting the country in the 21st century.

06 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, January 12, 2018

The Tribune | Weekend | 07

Friday, January 12, 2018

beauty

RED is the colour of 2018 when it comes to makeup.

BRIGHT highlighter will continue to dominate this year.

New year, new beat!

By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net

F

or those ladies who want to slay in 2018 without looking like they are still in 2017, keeping abreast of the latest beauty trends is a must.

Professionals at Black Up Paris Cosmetics, a high-end French makeup brand which made the Mall at Marathon its home more than a decade ago, have been keeping a watchful eye on what is sure to be on-trend when it comes to cosmetics this year.

Black Up is a brand that caters to women of colour, offering them an array of products including foundation in 18 shades, powders in 16 shades, lip colours and glosses, contouring palettes, matte primers, eye shadows and

other eye products, fragrances, and a skin care line.

It was created in 1999 by Mahabo, a African professional makeup artist whose mission was to create a line of products that suited black women of all skin types.

Cheryl Humes, a Black Up representative here in Nassau, said the brand is for the modern woman who knows her roots, is elegant and inspired by Parisian chic.

“She accepts who she is and cultivates her beauty as well as her personality,” said Cheryl.

And for women to cultivate their beauty, Cheryl said they must know what is going to be hot this year.

Highlighted to the gods Cheryl said “if it doesn’t glow, it doesn’t go.” Highlighting became a staple in 2017, and your makeup look won’t be complete without it.

“Highlighting and contouring is big now. We can expect it to remain big, especially highlighting, because it gives definition to the face,” she said.

Time to sparkle We love products that can take our look to the next level without having to do too much. Cheryl said this is the reason sparkle and shimmer is also on trend for 2018.

“Shimmer is for daytime and glitter is for the nighttime,” he said.

Lady in red For those who thought red would be left behind with the holiday season, think again. Cheryl said that red is here to stay.

“Red pigments are definitely here for the new year. Red eye makeup, red lips, red nails... just red everything,” she said.

Fresh faced And while some days the of this year will call for show-stopping, ‘beat’ faces, other times a little less will go a long way.

“You have some people that love a lot of colour and some people who just want a clean, natural appearance. The clean face is definitely on trend where it is almost as if you have on a whole lot of nothing,” she told Tribune Weekend.

Lashes One product that can give a clean face that ‘oomph’ factor is false lashes, or finding a way to add volume and length to your own.

“Mink lashes are really big now because it creates a natural look. Black Up carries a number of lashes, and while they are not mink, they do range from natural to edgy,” said Cheryl.

08 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, January 12, 2018

beauty

Paint with all the colours of the rainbow

By FELICITY INGRAHAM

E

ven the most conservative fashionistas seem to be catching on to the popping hair colour trend that isn’t slowing down in 2018.

Whether it’s a slim streak of purple in an all-black coif, or a hidden rainbow strip in a neat bob, it seems more and more people are playing with hair colour.

Rainbow roots, brighter, more funkadelic streaks, and whole transformations in colour can be seen on more daring heads as the colour trend once again rises in popularity. Salon stylists are even finding discreet ways to add just a touch of colour for those who work in more professional settings.

One such discreet look is the “Hidden Unicorn” created by stylist and makeup artist Michaela Adele.

The bright rainbow strands are hidden underneath your top hair like a naughty, yet fabulous secret.

One popular look is the “Peanut Butter & Jelly” look created by colourist Megan Schipani for a client who wanted to “keep it natural’ but also wanted “something fun.” The fun twotone look features a golden blonde to represent the peanut butter and shades of purple to evoke grape jelly. The look is a huge hit on Instagram.

Meanwhile, colour master Savannah Harris has created her “Bright, Earthy Stones” look. It features mainly teal and black, with some bright red streaks.

Savannah said she created the look to complement women of all skin tones.

In the Bahamas, Kiss is a trusted brand when it comes to hair colour, with black, jet black and red representing the biggest sellers on the local market. Bahamians seem to trust Kiss for having a true black that doesn’t pick up a purple or blue hue after

Blue colour on natural hair

Rainbow streaks for brunettes

The “Peanut Butter & Jelly” look

Underlights for a more discreet look washing, but maintains the deep, dark pigment that customers love.

But in response to the growing colour rave trends, CDM Bahamas, distributors of Kiss, have introduced the manufacturer’s latest colours to the market. Look for Forest Green, Lime Light, Electric Yellow, Scarlet, Midnight Blue, Platinum and Aquarius.

The company states that its products provide excellent colour enhancement to your natural hair colour and is gentle enough to use with a relaxer or right after the bleaching process.

In addition to Kiss Express hair colours, the company also offers semipermanent hair colours called Kiss Quick Cover. These ammonia free, peroxide free products do not strip the hair and won’t stain the scalp, but will

provide “vibrant, intensifying natural shades”. Quick Cover comes in 12 hair colour shades.

Many stylists swear by Kiss colours, but the product can also be used at home, especially if it’s being used for total coverage. Speaking of coverage, Kiss has a complete line for grey coverage in many natural hair colour tones.

The company advises consumers that it is ideal for use after bleaching “to enhance the tone of natural hair colour or to help create a natural blend”.

The product description says it works on natural or processed hair, and is also safe for use on weaves and hair extensions.

A local CDM representative said: “Whether you are red, blonde, black, natural brown or orange tone, we have a colour for you.”

The “Bright, Earthy Stones” look

The Tribune | Weekend | 09

Friday, January 12, 2018

fashion

All about that Bahamian life

By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Writer acadet@tribunemedia.net

T

amika Galanis has always enjoyed collecting T-shirts with creative messages, but it was not until she started making her own designs as a way to express her connection and appreciation for Bahamian culture that she became inspired to start a business.

For her, the T-shirts designs are a way to move culture, art, and history outside of the walls of an academy or gallery, making them accessible to everyone. The response she received when she wore her designs was so overwhelming that she decided to embark on launching her own label, and so lignum+tingum was born.

“I’m a visual artist and scholar from New Providence and I split my time between Nassau and Durham, North Carolina, where I’m currently based.

My art practice is rooted in preserving Bahamian culture in light of climate concerns. The (2017) hurricane season came to remind us that our experience here is much more ephemeral than previously thought. My work is about documenting as much of this Bahamian experience as possible before everything changes. I like to say that documentary is defined by what it does, not it’s medium; so lignum+tingum is an extension of my practice: we are wearing our culture,” she told Tribune Weekend.

Tamika said the name of the company is a nod to things that are uniquely and unmistakably connected to Bahamian culture: lignum for the national tree, and tingum from the local vernacular.

The black and white lignum+tingum designs showcase popular Bahamian catch phrases and expressions such as “muddo”, “mangra”, “ya mudda”, “sugar apple, sea grape, sour sop”, “trapsy”, “goatskin drum, conch shell, black horn”, and more.

The brand has grown to not only offer T-shirts, but also outerwear, accessories, bags and mugs.

Tamika’s overarching mission is to have Bahamians celebrate everything from their dialect to their food, music, art and history. She said the clothing

T-shirt designs from lignum+tingum

“My work is about documenting as much of this Bahamian experience as possible before everything changes.” and accessories are also a way for locals to start conversations about moments in Bahamian history.

Her grandmother, Zoë Galanis, serves as one of the most influential people in her life. Spending an extended period of time with her, Tamika said revealed so much about Bahamian culture to her, and how it was shaped by persons like her grandmother.

“My Grammy grows just about anything you can think of in her garden, every native fruit or flower you can imagine, and she taught me how to

cook Bahamian cuisine that is, at times, my most immediate connection to home when I’m away and longing to be here,” she said.

Through lignum+tingum, Tamika said she wants to take “linear” stories and make them accessible for everyone, not just people with a special interest in history or art.

“I think what I like most about my profession is that I get to tell our stories through a lens of familiarity, and in this way we get to fill in the gaps in the historical archives. Telling our own stories

on our terms means that we get to highlight the nuances of the Bahamian experience. I really appreciate when people stop to read the lignum+tingum content and they smile and nod in agreement that these products are indeed representative of us: from our food ways, to dialect, and music, there is something here for everyone to identify with,” said Tamika.

As the new year progresses, Tamika said the company will focus on ways to make lignum+tingum even more accessible than just having a few pop-up events a year. The team is looking forward to making products available year-round, creating exciting partnerships in the near future.

10 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, January 12, 2018

entertainment

Enjoy two days of ‘Tru Tru Bahamian’ celebrations

By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Writer acadet@tribunemedia.net

I

N celebration of all things cultural, the Tru Tru Bahamian Festival returns next month for not one, but two whole days of excitement at the John Watling’s Distillery, February 3-4.

Over the years, the festival has served to highlight, promote and support the wealth of talent that exists in the Bahamas; as artisans, musicians, mixologists and dancers gather to showcase every imaginable expression of creativity possible from the hours of 10am to 8pm on the Saturday, and 10am to 6pm on the Sunday.

There will be singing, dancing, storytelling, maypole plaiting, a Junkanoo rush-out, a performance by the Royal Bahamas Police Force band, a pop up Junkanoo shack, and a kids interactive corner – all hosted by the Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA). Highlights will also include the best of authentic Bahamian food and drink, and an array of locally made products available for purchase just in time for Valentine’s Day.

“We are most pleased to host the festival once again with our public and private sector partners and supporters. The Tru Tru Bahamian movement has become a pivotal aspect of what we do as an association, and we hope our collective efforts are successful.

We will have at the festival art icons and established art galleries such as the National Art Gallery of the Bahamas, Pam Burnside of Creative Nassau and Doongalik Studios, and Antonius Roberts and Hillside House, alongside burgeoning artists brought out by Keisha Oliver and the University of the Bahamas’ visual art department,” said Suzanne Pattusch, BHTA executive vice president.

“The goal is to create an environment of inspiration and learning, where attendees, patrons and participants alike can come together to celebrate their talent, to share stories and ideas.”

Ms Pattusch believes the Tru Tru Bahamian Festival brings together generations of Bahamians, and it is hoped that through the sights and sounds of the event, organisers will provide the opportunity for participants to truly appreciate how incredibly unique this undertaking is, and how its uniqueness has taken generations to cultivate.

“We hope the festival evokes rightful pride in every Bahamian who attends, and offers enjoyment and a sense of reverence to those who wish to witness and learn about Bahamian talent, culture and customs,” said Ms Pattusch.

Recalling the inaugural Tru Tru Bahamian Festival in 2015, she said the event received resounding feedback as locals and visitors enjoyed witnessing “The Tale of Bahamian Life” unfold in a beautiful setting at the John Watling’s Distillery. Then, at the second annual festival held in 2017, the crowd grew to 3,000 guests.

For Ms Pattusch, one of the most gratifying aspects of the Tru Tru Bahamian movement is the people they work with; varying Cabinet Ministers, public sector representatives, large-scale companies, mid-sized businesses and individual proprietors, as well as like-minded non-profit organisations, artists, and entrepreneurs.

According to Ms Pattusch, it was in 2015 when then president of the BHTA Stuart Bowe challenged his executive team to create an event that celebrated and supported Bahamian culture and customs; indigenous qualities unique to the Bahamas.

The BHTA joined forces with the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and a

cadre of private sector partners spanning the entire gambit of businesses, each linked by a common thread: a love of country and a deep respect for the elements that make the Bahamas special; its history, heritage, customs, culture, music, art, dance. The current president of the BHTA, Carlton Russell, has continued the tradition.

“As we work with our partners to achieve common goals, the words ‘It takes a village’ have never rung more true. It is both humbling and inspiring to discover how many people in the Bahamas and internationally share the same intrinsic motivation; the same passion and desire to see Bahamian culture, history, traditions, art, music, food and drink come alive, thrive in our own local environment, and on an international scale for the world to see,” said Ms Pattusch.

“Also, we would like to see variations of the Tru Tru Festival played out in various communities on a smaller scale, on a monthly or quarterly basis, as we build up to the grand annual event. We will continue to work with our public and private sector partners on specific initiatives which will see our collective goals achieved.”

The Tribune | Weekend | 11

Friday, January 12, 2018

theatre

‘Dirty Laundry’ gets aired at the Dundas

By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Writer acadet@tribunemedia.net

F

ollowing the success of the productions “Til Death Do Us Part” and “It Takes Two”, the creative team behind the Real Laughs Network is about to wow audiences once again, this time with a new suspenseful play entitled “Dirty Laundry”.

Tonight and tomorrow night, beginning at 8pm at the Dundas Centre for the Performing Arts, the cast of “Dirty Laundry” will tell the story of a female politician and her struggle to prevent a tumultuous past from interfering with her perfectly perceived present.

Delilah, who is played by the show’s writer, producer and director Rakel Dean, will be revealed to be a force to reckoned with over the course of the piece.

Rakel told Tribune Weekend that “Dirty Laundry” was inspired by the wicked ways of Delilah and her conniving personality as shown in the Bible, as well as the current political issues that plague society.

“I have always been intrigued by our Bahamian people and what they consider to be normal. Just because they think it’s a norm doesn’t always mean it is. We are so comical in what we accept nowadays and I thought, why not bring it to life on stage so we can see how it is perceived by others.

“My motivation behind ‘Dirty Laundry’ was simply a wake-up call for most of us who try to paint such a perfect picture of what goes on in our lives. We are so busy painting

Fun behind the scenes with the cast of “Dirty Laundry”.

“Our background and past is what hurts us the most, simply because we try to hide it. That is what ‘Dirty Laundry’ is truly about, exposing the stains from in between.” on what we think is a black canvas that we forget what is actually in the background.

Our background and past is what hurts us the most, simply because we try to hide it. That is what ‘Dirty Laundry’ is truly about, exposing the stains from in between.”

She said the Real Laughs Network was created to give young and aspiring creatives a platform to express themselves through fine arts. And for her, building a philanthropic theatre troupe that consists of working professionals and

youths that share the same passion is extremely gratifying.

“This is our third production, which is a lot different from our previous productions.

This experience has truly been a rewarding one. Now I know how Tyler Perry feels when he writes, produces, directs and acts in his productions.

It was truly overwhelming and exciting at the same time, preparing for the show. Working with such a magnificent cast of young fresh and new actors and actresses is what the Real Laughs Network was created for. The passion

and personalities of my cast is enough to fill an arena,” said Rakel.

“Dirty Laundry” cast members include Osbourne Lockhart, Basil Armbrister, Arnelle Rolle, Jaquay Adderley, Keitasia Jennings, Frantz Ferguson, Omar Moss, Xavier Knowles, Camille Dorsett, A’Keemo Cambridge, and Ben-Jade Rahming.

Rakel’s love for her cast and their passion to bring each character to life is a constant reminder of why the Real Laughs Network platform was created.

“It is important for us to show appreciation for talent.

Very seldom we get the opportunity to show persons how much we value their efforts and the positive works they are doing. That is what motivates me. The arts is going to be the number one driver in this country soon, and that is where our culture will live on.

There are a lot of projects still in the pipeline this year for us, but what I can say is that we will be hitting the stage again in Spring 2018 with our dramatic comedy ‘He Ain’t Man Enough’,” said Rakel.

12 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, January 12, 2018

entrepreneurship

Young ambition Hard work and dedication take Gary Sands to the next level

By FELICITY INGRAHAM

G

ary Sands is making history in the beverage industry worldwide. He is one of the youngest persons ever to take the helm of a major beverage company.

At the age of 27, Gary has recently been promoted to general manager of Jimmy’s Wines & Spirits, with a staff of 60 under his management. He will command the operations at all Jimmy’s locations except for Freeport, Grand Bahama, where the parent company, Bahamian Brewery and Beverage Company, is located. Jimmy’s has eight distribution centre in New Providence, Freeport, North Eleuthera and in Marsh Harbour, Abaco.

As general manager, Gary is now responsible for the day-to-day operations of the company, and also has marketing, sales and accounts under his purview.

“It’s a huge responsibility, a huge undertaking, but it’s the great people who work with me who make all the difference,” Gary said about his new job and the team he has been commissioned to manage.

The company, which has a staff of 120 altogether, is setting the pace for young business professionals in the country. When Gary’s father, James “Jimmy” Sands, established the company a decade ago, he was able to successfully recruit a power team consisting of individuals who were loyal employees of his father’s from his days at Butler & Sands.

As the company now celebrates it’s 10th anniversary, some of those veterans are heading for retirement and are placing the reins in the hands of a much younger, vibrant generation with new ideas to take Jimmy’s into the future. One of those individuals, Berkley Williamson, retired as general

manager. When Gary first entered his father’s business it was never automatically assumed that he would take on such a position in the company. It was through hard work, dedication and passion that he proved himself worthy of the job.

“I most definitely have what it takes,” Gary told Tribune Weekend, adding that he expects to hold the reins for a long time. “I adopted my grandfather and dad’s way of doing business.

Things have to be done right and on time, and if you say you are going to do something, you do it. It’s about reliability.”

His work ethic has won him the respect of the team, including his seniors, who are all excited about the way forward for the company with a young, dynamic leader.

“If I had to do it on my own, there is no way I could do it. There are strategic people in sales and marketing, running the accounts, running the warehouse – people I can rely on. They are not just regular employees. They are more like family than employees.

We are very close knit,” he said.

He notes that senior members of the team are readily embracing the new way of thinking and doing business, which is a “right now” attitude, “not tomorrow or the next day” one.

The Bahamian Brewery and Beverage Company produces Sands Beer, Sands Light, Sands Pink Radler, High Rock Lager, Strong Back Stout and Bush Crack. These products are manufactured from the brewery in Grand Bahama and distributed throughout the country. In addition to the local products, Gary is responsible for the other beverages in the Jimmy’s Wines & Spirits portfolio. The company was awarded the AB Inbev exclusive distributorship of the Anheuser Busch line of products, including Budweiser and Bud Light, Beck’s, Stellar Artois and Presidente beers. Jimmy’s also distributes a full complement of wines and spirits, including popular brands such as the Jackson family wines, Decero wines, Tito’s Vodka, and Flor de Cana rums.

Gary is soaking up every bit of knowledge he can about the industry. The relationship with AB Inbev has taught him much about the industry and “their way of thinking” that drives sales. Whether it’s travelling to

GARY SANDS, newly appointed general manager of Jimmy’s Wines & Spirits

Germany to learn first-hand about the industry he loves, or communicating with affiliates in the region, Gary is rising to the challenge.

Kelly Sands, Gary’s sister, is also a vital component in the success of the company. As manager of all store fronts, Kelly never hesitates to take on any task, from driving the forklift, to cashing out and even delivering. Gary commends her for her vast creativity and for the success of her Travelling Beer Fest, which takes Sands Beer throughout the Family Islands.

It is his hope that their younger brother and sister – Mallory who is in university and James Jr who is about to complete high school – will join the family empire that includes a multimillion-dollar facility.

For young professionals who aspire to lead companies but may be discouraged because of their age, Gary advises: “There is an opportunity for everyone. The thing that helped me is that I took every opportunity I had to advance myself. Don’t roll over. Don’t let someone come and push you out of anything you have a strong feeling for just because you are young. Listen to your seniors, take advice, but it doesn’t

mean you have to do what they tell you.”

He feels that based on the fact that the Bahamas is a small country with citizens that have made a global impact, there is every reason for more and more young Bahamians to keep making history in whatever field they are engaged in.

“You know the tingling feeling we all got when the Golden Girls won?

That’s the feeling I get when I look at my own staff. Bahamians are great people… and with eight billion people in the world, what are the chances that we would be born in the best place on Earth? The odds are already in our favour!”

Gary encourages consumers to continue to invest in their “100 per cent Bahamian company”.

“We invest into the economy. Every dollar we make stays in the country.

We invest in young Bahamians and it is evident by our management team.

They are the future of this company.

We have superstar products and a superstar team, and what this company has done in 10 years is simply phenomenal,” he said.

The Tribune | Weekend | 13

celebrity

PART

The Weekend Fashion Report 75th annual Golden Globe Awards

I

With Karin Herig and Cara Hunt

FAIL

FAIL

FAIL

HIT

Allison Williams ”Get Out”

Debra Messing ”Will & Grace”

Issa Rae ”Insecure”

Caitriona Balfe ”Outlander”

Karin says: “OK, I really didn’t like these special cases that just couldn’t resist breaking out a little from the ‘Blackout’ theme. But besides that, this beaded dress is just awful. The orange circle just looked like someone painted half a Target sign on her. Also, the necklace is too much.”

Cara says: “And this, ladies, is how you mess up a simple evening gown.

You just add some unnecessary beading on the top that resembles either a traffic cone or Halloween candy corn. I really didn’t care for this custom-made dress at all.”

Karin says: “Sometimes the pantsunderneath-a-dress look really works, but not here. It looks awkward, bulks her up around the hips and make it looks like she’s got saddle bags. I’m also not a fan of the extremely heavy and dark eye makeup on her.”

Cara says: “The problem with this is that the top is not fitted enough. It makes the outfit look unflattering, almost like a maternity style. That handbag is also not cute at all.”

Karin says: “I feel like we’ve seen this dress before. I’m generally over the plunging neckline paired with the super high slit. I feel like you should pick one or the other. And while I like the pop of colour with the green stone, I’m not sold on the necklace.”

Cara says: “I’m also over the plunging neckline as well. I am also done with all the shoulder poufs that designers put on dresses when they don’t want to waste fabric. I don’t hate it, but I’m not wowed by it either.”

Karin says: “Yes, one could say she looks somewhat like a poodle, but nevertheless I really love this. It’s classic Chanel and so playful. I even love the feathery poufs on her arms and the border on the dress. Very Parisian.”

Cara says: “This reminds me of a 80s prom dress, but not in a horrible way.

At first glance I was like, ‘What is she wearing?’ But I’m OK with it; it’s very playful and fun, and very different from what we usually see on the red carpet.”

• See page 16 for more Golden Globe fashions

AP PHOTOS

Friday, January 12, 2018

16 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, January 19, 2018

celebrity

PART

With Karin Herig and Cara Hunt

HIT

FAIL

SPLIT

SPLIT

Viola Davis ”How to Get Away with Murder”

Blanca Blanco ”Fake News”

Margot Robbie ”I, Tonya”

Kerry Washington ”Scandal”

Karin says: “We all know lesser known celebs chose not to wear black for publicity reasons, bad or not. So ignoring that, this dress would still be embarrassing. She’s just trying way to hard to get noticed and it’s cheap and tacky.”

Cara says: “OK, even in black this dress would have been horrid, but at least she would have been looked bad while supporting the cause. Now she just looks bad for no good reason. It’s more than a little cheap and tacky.”

Karin says: “The giant shoulders make her look like a line-backer. Someone like Tilda Swinton could have pulled this dress off, but not Margot. Which is a shame, because I really like the embroidered pattern. It was a clever design choice for ‘Blackout’.”

Cara says: “Those sleeves are straight out of ‘Dynasty’ - can you say Alexis Carrington? While I think the embroidery are on the sleeves and the skirt is lovely, I don’t care for the deep V and the boxy sleeves. The beading on a dress with fitted long sleeves and a regular neckline would have been fabulous.”

Karin says: “I just feel like we’ve seen this dress on someone else, maybe even Kerry, before. It’s fine, it’s just not very exciting. Yes, you were somewhat limited with red carpet choices, but there were options. I guess the mesh ankle boots make a statement...but a very small one.”

Cara says: “I have to say that this is one of Kerry’s nicer looks. This is just simple and basic, but it works. It does not make any best dressed lists, but it won’t land her in the fashion dog house. I have to say her lil’ booties are cute as pie, but don’t really work with the dress.”

Karin says: “Viola was rockin’ it big with her hair, and it looked fabulous.

Now, I could complain that her black velvet dress is very basic, but maybe that was needed with the statementmaking hair. I do love the multiple pearl strands though.”

Cara says: “Big hair just don’t care. I saw her hair on my TV from across the room and I knew it was Viola before I saw her face. This was the hair that made natural hair girls all over the world sigh with delight. She is rocking that ‘fro. And I love that she went with pearls, because we don’t usually see that at awards shows.”

AP PHOTOS

The Weekend Fashion Report 74th annual Golden Globe Awards

II

The Tribune | Weekend | 17

Friday, January 12, 2018

film

Black Panther movie cause for excitement

T

here’s a Black Panther party going on all around the United States and elsewhere.

Superhero fans, movie fans and especially connoisseurs of black culture — American and African — are eagerly awaiting the debut of Marvel’s “Black Panther” movie starring comic books’ first black superhero with an enthusiasm not often seen in American cinema.

“Black Panther” viewing parties are being scheduled around the country for its February release, smack dab in the middle of Black History Month. Clothing lines are being designed around the bright colours and Afrofuturism styles of Wakanda. And Grammy-winning rapper Kendrick Lamar was just named to produce the soundtrack.

And people are already calling the still-unseen movie one of the most important of 2018, despite the fact that the character that has only appeared once on the silver screen and until now, has not occupied the same pantheon as stalwarts like Superman, Batman and Spider-Man. But for some fans, none of that matters.

“As the father of two little black boys I’m super excited to have a superhero that looks like them on screen,” said Glen Greezy of New York City, who plans to hit Times Square and see the movie on opening weekend along with more than 900 of his friends on Facebook.

“Other superheroes are great and I see their movies too, but something about having a black man as the main character in a superhero movie is extra appealing.”

“Black Panther,” starring Chadwick Boseman as the eponymous superhero, opens on February 16, picking up the adventures of the newly crowned African king and superhero who debuted in 2016’s “Captain America: Civil War.” Existing in the same shared universe as Iron Man, the Hulk, Captain America and Spider-Man, the Panther, however, the Black Panther’s adventures centre around his futuristic hidden homeland of Wakanda, considered to be the most technologically

advanced nation on Marvel’s earth. In the new movie, T’Challa, the Black Panther’s real name, must battle longtime adversaries with the aid of his all-female bodyguards and a CIA agent to maintain control of his country and prevent a world war.

Directed by Ryan Coogler, it also has an all-star cast including Angela Bassett, Lupita Nyong’o, Michael B. Jordan, Forest Whitaker, Danai Gurira, Sterling K. Brown and more.

For many people, the Black Panther movie isn’t just a movie; it’s a symbol of change.

“As the father of two little black boys I’m super excited to have a superhero that looks like them on screen.”

The cast of “Black Panther”

“‘Black Panther’ is just going to be really special. ... I don’t plug into film anticipation. But I can feel it. A lot of my friends have asked me to go to the premiere! Everyone in my network is excited about it, and you can feel it when they’re not,” Daniel Kaluuya, the “Get Out” star who also is featured in “Black Panther,” told The Associated Press recently.

The internet explodes each time a new trailer, poster or piece of artwork debuts from the movie, sparking hashtags like #BlackPantherSoLit and #WelcometoWakanda. Twitter declared that Black Panther was one of the most tweeted-about movies of 2017, and the only movie on the list that hadn’t premiered yet.

“Do we really have to wait until February!” lamented Elwood L. Robinson, chancellor of Winston-Salem State University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on Twitter while sporting a Black Panther T-shirt.

Groups like MALIK Fraternity Inc, the first collegiate fraternity founded on the concept of African fraternalism, in Charlotte, North Carolina and the Intentional Community Building

Collective and Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle in Baltimore, are assembling discussion panels on the movie’s themes.

Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the minds behind Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four and other Marvel comics, the Black Panther holds a unique position in comic book history. While not the first black comic book hero — the first black character to headline his own comic book was Dell Comics’ Western hero and gunfighter Lobo in 1965 — the Black Panther is considered the first black superhero, introduced as a supporting character in Fantastic Four in 1966 and later featured in his own book.

There has been a renaissance with black superheroes on television as well. “Black Lightning” debuts on the CW on January 16 featuring an educator who gains electrical powers and becomes a superhero. “Luke Cage,” a television show about a former convict with superhuman strength and unbreakable skin, premiered on Netflix in 2016 and will begin a second season later this year.

“What is significant now, however, is that this age of convergence of film franchises with social media, a black superhero movie with an almost allblack cast conveys power, that we have arrived. It’s evolution,” said Christopher Chambers, a Georgetown University media studies professor.

JESSE J HOLLAND Associated Press

18 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, January 12, 2018

film

review

Plummer rescues ‘All the Money’ from the dustbin ALL THE MONEY RUNNING TIME: 132 MINS

S

hould Ridley Scott’s “All the Money in the World” be measured by the usual critical apparatus or with a stopwatch?

If the latter, Scott’s movie wins the race, hands down. “All the Money in the World” has, with remarkably few signs of haste, accomplished its unenviable task of recasting Kevin Spacey’s role with Christopher Plummer. Plummer parachuted in a few weeks ago to shoot his nine days of work, and Scott has toiled around the clock to recut and remake his own movie. Like a bank thief covering tracks and wiping fingerprints, Scott has erased all trace of Spacey.

That alone makes “All the Money in the World” a fascinating footnote in the larger ongoing drama of the “Me Too” reckoning. And considering the way things are going, Plummer should keep his bags packed. We may need his services again.

But was it worth the trouble? “All the Money in the World,” about the 1973 kidnapping of the grandson of billionaire oil tycoon John Paul Getty (Plummer), is, for better and worse, every bit a Scott production: a solidly built, no-nonsense drama, largely without surprise. But its saving grace isn’t Plummer. It’s Michelle Williams.

She plays Gail Harris, the distraught mother of the kidnapped 16-yearold “little Paul” (Charlie Plummer, no relation). When Getty refuses to pay the kidnappers’ demands of $17 million, she’s left virtually alone in

CHRISTOPHER Plummer as J Paul Getty

MICHELLE Williams stars as Gail Harris, the distraught mother of the kidnap victim. seeking his release, aside from the inattentive help of Getty’s overconfident, former-CIA fixer, Fletcher Case (Mark Wahlberg). As a woman locked inside an oppressively male world, Williams’ performance — gripping and glamorous — slides in comfortably with Scott’s best female protagonists (Ripley, Thelma, Louise).

Based on John Pearson’s 1995 book, “Painfully Rich: The Outrageous Fortune and Misfortunes of the Heirs of J Paul Getty,” David Scarpa’s script doesn’t attempt to show the larger soap opera of the younger Getty generations, many of whom suffered through drugs, depression and worse because of their father’s hostility and inattention.

Getty married five times and young Paul was one of 14 grandchildren.

When he was taken, Getty, then one of the richest men in the world, told reporters: “If I pay one penny now, I’ll have 14 kidnapped children.”

“All the Money in the World” ought to have aimed more ambitiously for the complete tragedy of the Gettys, or stuck more resolutely to Gail’s perspective. Instead, it bounces erratically between its main players and loses steam every time Williams leaves the screen.

Opening with a black-and-white sequence of the kidnapping in Rome, Scott’s movie continuously cuts to Paul’s travails as the prisoner of Calabrian bandits. Expecting a quick payday, they settle in the mountains of Southern Italy for months, growing increasingly impatient.

Seesawing between the mafia-controlled hills of Italy and the mammoth English estate of Getty’s, “All the Money in the World” seeks for a larger portrait of people prioritising money over basic human decency — of putting the art of the deal above all else, you might say. When first told of the kidnapping, Getty doesn’t even look up from the stock ticker.

It’s hard not to spend some of the film’s running time wondering what Spacey might have brought to the movie. I suspect his performance would have been icier, and perhaps smacked

of stunt. Plummer, on the other hand, quite naturally feasts on the part, fully embodying Getty’s privilege and power.

At 88, Plummer has spent much of his superlative late period playing King Lears presiding over the ends of their empires. Give him a mansion and a backstory, and he’ll go to town (just as he did earlier this year in the World War II thriller “The Exception”). But the miserly Getty of “All the Money in the World,” so totally focused on his fortune, makes the Grinch look like a philanthropist.

Aside from the audaciousness of its last-minute face-lift, “All the Money in the World” is fairly routine. If Scott was replacing stars, he might as well have yanked Wahlberg while he was at it. The story doesn’t suit the action star’s considerable gifts, and he’s out of place from the start.

Still, the extreme measures taken

by Scott are fitting. The restless director is driven by an obsession for work not so different than Getty’s. (This is the second film Scott has directed and the 10th project he’s produced this year. He’s 80.) Only when a crisis took his movie hostage, Scott immediately intervened at an estimated cost of $8 million. The lesson holds: Just pay the ransom.

JAKE COYLE AP Film Writer

The Tribune | Weekend | 19

Friday, January 12, 2018

art

Antonius Roberts receives Queen’s Honour

B

AHAMIAN master artist Antonius Roberts was named Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2018 Queens New Year’s Honours.

The Honours recognise the accomplishments of persons who have made contributions in various spheres of Bahamian society. And Mr Roberts was awarded for his extensive contribution to education, arts and the community at large.

Mr Roberts, a teacher, sculptor and open pace designer, is passionate about preserving and documenting Bahamian/African heritage and has an impeccable record as a conservationist. This is the principle which guides his philosophy, his work and his life.

The benefit of using, preserving and recycling organic materials was understood and incorporated into his art long before “green” fully infiltrated the general consciousness.

Born in 1958, in Nassau, he is the proud father of Ayla Antonia Roberts. Always interested in art as a child, Antonius received his BFA in painting from the Philadelphia College of Art (now the University of the Arts, Philadelphia).

His art has a strong signature with a special understanding of and flair for defining large spaces. As a curator, he has played a significant role in the public and private domain. In 1999, he was engaged by the Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board and the Airport Authority to curate and purchase the two dimensional art for the existing Arrival and Departure Lounges.

He previously played a leading role in the restoration of the Villa Doyle and its conversion into the National Art Gallery of the Bahamas. He was the founding curator of the Central Bank Art Gallery and former coordinator of FINCO’s Summer Art Workshops, all of which were highly successful.

He has, over the years, collected numerous prestigious awards and had exhibitions locally and internationally. Internationally, the most notable of these perhaps being in Changchun, China, when he was invited to participate with other international artists to produce a piece of artwork for an exhibition and subsequent permanent installation of his 12’ sculpture ‘Rebirth’ in the Art Park. His paintings and his sculptures are in private collections in Italy, South Africa, Canada, the US and Germany. At home, he has mounted several exhibitions of his own, many of which address or make commentary on historical or social issues.

One of this most well-known works is Sacred Space at Clifton Pier which consists of 12 life-sized and larger than life statues still rooted in the old slave plantation on which they stand.

Then on November 3, 2017, Mr Roberts brought the Sacred Space sculpture series to The Cove at Atlantis, which debuted a permanent art installation

on the tip of resort’s peninsula by the artist.

Sacred Space, a sculpture series, represents seven dancing women who each represent the intention of triumph, hope and determination and a vision to help conserve Bahamian heritage over that which is discarded or destroyed in the name of progress. Each figure was sculpted using local Madeira trees, and born out of the artist’s deep-seated respect for the environment, the sanctity and significance of the country’s trees and forests.

“I am creating this Sacred Space to be a specific, historical memorial in this location and to reflect and embody my personal philosophy about art and how it can be used interactively,” said M It also embraces my profound interest in the conservation, preservation and transformation of our environment, and the 700 islands of the Bahamas.”

Mr Roberts was among several other leading Bahamians to be named on the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list.

20 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, January 12, 2018

art

Getting creative for the people NAGB looks ahead for 2018

By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net

A

TTRACTING a diverse audience and encouraging locals to take ownership of a public institution that truly “belongs to the Bahamian people” is one of the main goals this year for the National Art Gallery.

Its director for the past seven years, Amanda Coulson, along with her team have been steering the NAGB in a direction that embraces and invites all to share in the history, culture and art of the Bahamas.

The gallery will embark on several initiatives to build on the work it started in 2017. But this time around it will be done in a much greater, consistent and creative way.

In an interview with Tribune Weekend, Ms Coulson shared what’s on the gallery’s agenda for 2018.

Tribune Weekend: What is the main focus of the National Art Gallery in the new year?

Amanda Coulson: This year’s focus is outreach. We are looking at ways, both on our campus and beyond it, to bring a broader and even more diverse audience to the NAGB and to Bahamian art. So many people still don’t realise that we are a functional museum, a public institution that is open to all and really belongs to the Bahamian people.

Continuing to get that message out there, through our communications, social media platforms, and particularly via our programming, is a top priority.

TW: What is on the schedule of events in the upcoming months?

AC: The NAGB has lots to offer and from multiple points of interest.

We continue to feature our monthly film series. The next screening, Claire Denis’ powerful French film “White Material”, is on Thursday, January 18, and is the tale of an entitled white woman fighting to keep her family’s coffee plantation in operation as a civil war erupts around her; it’s a searing portrait of European colonialism struggling to stay afloat.

We are really excited to offer, for the first time ever, a portfolio workshop for high schoolers who are interested in applying for art school post graduation.

It’s being facilitated by our education team and guest professional artists and, like most of our offerings, is free.

February is filled with more fun and excitement as we will be hosting a mural walk and artist talk on the 18th. The panel and tour will feature several artists that the NAGB has commissioned as part of our outreach programming to create compelling and culturally resonant public art works.

Art has to operate beyond our halls.

One of the other really wonderful things about murals is that they change the landscape and the NAGB is thrilled to be a part of that.

On March 31, our annual Easter Egg Hunt, which is a part of our Afternoon programme series, will take place and that is always a favourite for families.

And of course there is always the art. Our current exhibition, “Medium: Practices and Routes of Spirituality and Mysticism”, which is on view until March 11, is a dynamic show exploring the intimate relationship religion and spirituality have with Bahamian art and culture. It’s an exhibition that is both incredibly relatable and also has fantastic depth. Two exhibitions open on March 22: “We Suffer to Remain” and “Traversing the Picturesque: For Sentimental Value”. The former is in partnership with the British Council and will feature the work of an acclaimed Scottish artist, with three Bahamian artists. The latter will be a beautiful show that highlights the works of our more picturesque artists

The Tribune | Weekend | 21

Friday, January 12, 2018

PHOTOS/SHAWN HANNA

Artwork from the current “Medium: Practices and Routes of Spirituality and Mysticism” exhibit

here in the Bahamas and both will run until July 1, 2018.

TW: What are some the gallery’s short- and long-term goals?

AC: As a national institution, a critical part of what we do is community building. It’s an honour and a pleasure to be of service and it’s our goal to do that throughout this year and beyond.

TW: What milestones did NAGB reach in 2017 which you hope to top in 2018?

AC: That’s a great question. We began a very special project in June 2017, the NAGB Amphitheatre, and we are really happy to see it nearing completion. It will be the only amphitheatre in New Providence and will serve as another entry point for residents and visitors to engage the NAGB. With the adjoined Sculpture Garden coming into view, our new outdoor spaces will offer as many attractions as the galleries in the Villa Doyle.

Additionally, we are looking more critically and inclusively at our existing programming. Part of our goal setting for 2018 is about continuing our current work, but doing it better and with greater energy and impact.

We are adding interactive manipulatives in our permanent exhibition for young visitors. We’ve revamped school tour offerings as well as some of our in-school outreach programmes. More school tours, more families visiting, more members getting involved... that would really make our team happy and let us know that the qualitative work we are doing is affecting results in the number of people we see at the NAGB.

TW: In a previous interview you shared that the NAGB has been making an intense effort to show that it embraces the whole, wider community.

How will you accomplish this in 2018?

AC: One of the great challenges for an institution that serves an archipelago is getting the work out there. Often one hears the idea that if we just put it all

online, or engage digitally, the impact will be felt. Well, we’ve found that that simply isn’t the case. Firstly, there is a digital divide and even where technology is available. The further away from our capital you go, the less dependable that technology tends to become. So, you have to go there, quite literally. A little over two years ago, that’s exactly what we did when the NAGB began our semi-annual inter-island travelling exhibition. Our first exhibition, Max/Amos, featured our two masters by those names, Maxwell Taylor and Amos Ferguson, respectively, and focused on their works exclusively.

This March, we will be travelling a new exhibition, which will feature an even more diverse selection from the National Collection. We’ll begin in Eleuthera and then onto one of our smaller islands in September. This time we will explore how what it means to be Bahamian is the amalgamation of many experiences. Travelling the collection began as an exhibition of varied length, school visits and workshops, and a curator’s talk. It has expanded to include formal openings and this year will incorporate professional development for arts teachers, community-wide workshops and we are hoping an artist talk as well. Additionally, our mural programme left its mark (for the first time on a Family Island), in Exuma

and we are thrilled to continue that new tradition of providing our outer islands with public art works for the community and visitors alike to enjoy even once the exhibition has closed and departed.

TW: For people who are interested in connecting with the NAGB to volunteer their time or skills, how can they go about doing this?

AC: We’ve recently launched our docent programme, which is led by Education Officer Katrina Cartwright.

The programme is offered every fourth Sunday as part of “Local Sundays”, which adds hourly tours of the permanent exhibition to an already free day for all residents to enjoy their NAGB. It is a wonderful way to get engaged with the NAGB and discover Bahamian art and art more generally, while sharing your passion with guests. For visitors, it’s a fantastic opportunity to have the art brought off of the walls and into context, which is really important for first-time visitors and the arts novice. It’s also lots of fun. Our website, nagb.org.bs, is a great tool for updates on projects and making general inquiries. However, if you’re interested as a group in getting involved with the NAGB, our Community Outreach Officer Abby Smith is the person to contact.

22 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, January 12, 2018

literary lives - dorothea lange

Finding inspiration from depression Sir Christopher Ondaatje revisits the American documentary and photojournalist best known for her extraordinary Depression-era photographs.

Dorothea Lange in Texas on the Plains, circa 1935. (Photo/ Paul S Taylor)

“M

igrant Mother”, the now legendary and haunting photograph by Dorothea Lange, taken in 1936, has now become a permanent symbol of the American Depression years. By the time the photograph was published, Lange had already joined other photographers working for the newly established Farm Security Administration. In 1960, Lange spoke about her experience taking the photograph: “I saw and approached the hungry and desperate mother as if drawn by a magnet. I do not remember how I explained my presence or my camera to her, but I do remember she asked me no questions. I made five exposures, working closer and closer from the same direction. I did not ask her name or her history. She told me her age, that she was thirty-two. She said that they had been living on frozen vegetables from the surrounding fields, and birds that the children had killed. She had just sold the tyres from her car to buy

Dorothea Lange with her second husband, Paul S Taylor.

food. There she sat in that lean-to tent with her children huddled around her, and seemed to know that my pictures might help her, and so she helped me.

There was a sort of equality about it.”

Dorothea Lange was born Dorothea Margaretta Nutzhorn – of second generation German immigrants, on May 26, 1985, in Hoboken, New Jersey. She gave up her middle name and assumed her mother’s maiden name when her father abandoned the family when she was 12 years old. This was one of the most traumatic incidents in her life.

The other was that she contracted polio when she was seven years old that resulted in a weakened right leg and a permanent limp. She never got over it.

Lange started life as many people of her background did. After graduating

The Tribune | Weekend | 23

Friday, January 12, 2018

One of the previously censored photographs of the Japanese American internment camp Manzanar. in photography from Columbia University in New York City she worked for several New York photography studios before travelling the world with a friend until the trip was aborted in San Francisco because of a robbery. She settled there and eventually opened a successful portrait studio. In 1920, she married the artist Maynard Dixon and moved to Berkeley across the bay and had two sons.

However, she grew less and less enchanted in her portrait clientele and moved her camera from her studio to the people in the street. One day in 1932, deep into the Great Depression, she saw a breadline of homeless people below the window of her apartment and went down to photograph them. She never worked in her studio again. Her first picture, “White Angel Breadline”, of an old man leaning against a railing in front of a soup kitchen holding a tin cup with a wrinkled hat pulled over his eyes, brought her instant recognition and led to her being employed by the Federal Farm Security Administration.

In fact, Paul Taylor, the Professor of Economics at the University of California, was so impressed with her work that he asked her to work with him on a report on seasonal farm labour. The Taylor-Lange Report on the pitiful despair and hunger of migrant farm workers led to the creation of camps and provision of food relief.

Dorothea Lange’s legendary “Migrant Mother” photograph (1936)

In 1935, Lange divorced her husband and married Taylor. For the next five years they documented rural poverty and the exploitation of sharecroppers and transient displaced farm families. Lange’s photographs were widely distributed free to newspapers across America and her images became famous as representing the Depression era. “Migrant Mother” was the image that won her immediate attention – first published in the San Francisco News.

The editor published news about the starving conditions in the camp and the government rushed aid to help prevent further disastrous conditions. The photograph perhaps made Lange the most famous woman who ever worked with a camera. Twenty-two other of her photographs were published in John Steinbeck’s “The Harvest Gypsies” when it was issued later that year, and inspired the author to write “The Grapes of Wrath” (1939).

Dorothea Lange was an unusual woman who never sought the beautiful things that are the usual subjects of photography and never hesitated in sacrificing the affluence that was her birthright for the insecure life photographing subjects in Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Texas and California – the sad eyes of children, exhausted mothers, and the gnarled hands of cotton pickers. The migrants liked her – because she cared.

In 1941, Lange was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship for achievement in photography – but she gave this up after the Pearl Harbour attack to record the plight of Japanese Americans from the West Coast. She covered the internment of these families and her images were so obviously critical that the American Army impounded most of them. They were not seen publicly for another 50 years. Today these almost horrific photographs (pitiful) can be seen in the National Archives and at the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley.

Dorothea Lange accepted a position in 1945 as faculty for the first fine art photography department at the California School of Fine Arts. Later, in 1952, she co-founded the photographic magazine Aperture. After Life magazine commissioned her to do a photographic documentary of the death of Monticello, California, and the displacement of its residents because of the damming of Putah Creek to form Lake Berryessa, they then refused to run the piece. Consequently Lange devoted an entire issue of Aperture to the work.

Continued on page 24

24 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, January 12, 2018

Lange’s “Tents as Home” – Drought refugees from Texas encamped in California near Exeter.

Seven in family.

Dorothea Lange, circa 1964.

Continued on page 24 She never hesitated to portray the cruelty of the world.

In the last two decades of Lange’s life she suffered from severe gastric problems, bleeding ulcers and post-polio syndrome. She died of esophageal cancer on October 11, 1965. She was 70 years old. Curiously, in 2006, an elementary school was named in her honour in Nipomo, California – very near the site where she photographed “Migrant Mother”. She was inducted into the California Hall of Fame at the California Museum for History, Women and the Arts on May 28, 2008.

NEXT WEEK: New revelations from “The Picture of Dorian Gray” • Sir Christopher Ondaatje is the author of “The Last Colonial”. He acknowledges that he has quoted liberally from “Master of Photography”

by Daniela Mrazkova and Wikipedia.

Lange’s “Ex-Slave with a long memory” (1938)

Lange’s photo of college students of Japanese ancestry who have been evacuated from Sacramento to the Assembly Centre

The Tribune | Weekend |25

Friday, January 12, 2018

history

20,000 leagues under the sea Forgotten facts Paul C Aranha

I

visited the Clifton Heritage National Park with a dean of Yale University who was interested in early examples of underwater movie-making. We were intrigued by what we heard a guide tell a busload of tourists about the so-called ‘Pirate Steps’. For readers who don’t know that area, these man-made steps were cut from street-level, at the top of the rock cliff, down into a well-known cave, at sea-level, at the bottom of the sheer cliff.

According to that guide, these steps were created by slaves, which leaves one to believe that they must have been cut between 1783 and 1834. In fact, they were cut in 1916, the year before Sir Durward Knowles was born. The earliest written record of this date, that I have found, is an eye-witness report

by Sir Etienne Dupuch in The Tribune Handbook of 1924.

A few decades later, a part of the cliff-face collapsed into the sea, taking with it the roof and front of the cave, so

The entrance to what was Jane Gale’s Cave at Clifton. today the steps end as a tunnel through the face of the cliff, where one can stand in the open air, overlooking a big rock that used to be a favourite spot for fishing.

Be warned, however, the steps are very challenging. I do not recommend climbing them!

As Sir Etienne wrote, the steps were cut to give easy access to the well-known cave, because Dr Earnest Williamson was in Nassau to film the world’s first underwater feature movie and several scenes were shot inside that cave. The movie was Jules Verne’s “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea” and Jane Gale was the star. Not

This weekend in world history January 12

• 1908 – A wireless message is sent long-distance for the first time from the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

• 1948 – The Co-operative Food opens Britain’s first fully self-service food store in Albert Road, Southsea.

• 1981 – Oil tycoon Blake Carrington prepares to marry his former secretary, Krystle, in the three-hour television movie that kicks off the prime-time ABC soap opera “Dynasty”.

January 13

• 1128 – Pope Honorius II grants a papal sanction to the military order known as the Knights Templar, declaring it to be an army of God.

• 1929 – Nearly 50 years after the famous gunfight at the O K Corral, Wyatt Earp dies quietly in Los Angeles at the age of 80.

• 1923 – Hitler denounces the Weimar Republic as 5,000 storm troopers demonstrate in Germany.

January 14

• 1514 – Pope Leo X issues a papal bull against slavery.

• 1943 – Franklin Roosevelt becomes the first president to travel on official business by airplane, flying to Casablanca in North Africa for strategy meeting with Winston Churchill.

• 1970 – Diana Ross and the Supremes, the most successful American pop group of the 1960s, perform their final concert at the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas.

Wyatt Earp

surprisingly, the cave became known as Jane Gale’s Cave and that name began to appear on maps. For the record, the more elaborate Disney version was filmed in 1954.

For a long time, one could watch Dr Williamson’s silent movie on YouTube, but it was taken down a few years ago.

Fortunately, it’s back on YouTube and I am watching it as I write this article.

It runs for 1 hour 38 minutes and 52 seconds.

A significant clip comes between 36 minutes to 39 minutes into the film, with a lot of footage that is unmistakably filmed inside the cave. The modern-day shapes of the cliff-face, at the bottom of the steps, are identical to those in the film. If you’re interested, type “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1916)” into the search bar.

And if you like silent movies, in 1920 “The Love Flower” was filmed in downtown Nassau and many of the locations are easily identifiable. This one runs for 1 hour 66 minutes and 2 seconds. Type “The Love Flower (1920)” into the search bar.

• For questions and comments, e-mail islandairman@gmail.com

enTry, LoBBy (across or down)

26 | The Tribune | Weekend

Best described as a number crossword, the task in Kakuro is to fill all of the empty squares, using numbers 1 to 9, so the sum of each horizontal block equals the number to its left, and the sum of each vertical block equals the number on its top. No number may be used in the same block more than once. The difficulty level of the Conceptis Kakuro increases from Monday to Sunday.

T E E o P r m E X

The Target uses words in the main body of Chambers 21st Century dictionary (1999 edition)

HOW many words of four letters or more can you make from the letters shown here? In making a word, each letter may be used once only. Each must contain the centre letter and there must be at least one nine-letter word. No plurals or verb forms ending in “s”.

Today’s Yesterday’s TarGeT Good 17; very good 25; excellent Sudoku Answer 33 (or more). solution tomorrow.

CRYPTIC PUZZLE Across 1 The way a sailor turns beds (6) 4 Is this what liquidates solid assets? (8) 9 Roman Catholics can count on it (6) 10 See 24 Across 12 It flows out of line (4) 13 Get on a governing body (5) 14 Blue due to failure to score? (4) 17 I get strained badly and go to pieces (12) 20 Shows what a discontented group does (12) 23 Some considered England paradise (4) 24 and 10 Across: Evidently not turning to crime (5,8) 25 Heroic story in the news again (4) 28 Directions on a ship for finding the coast (8) 29 Mother has the first murderer brought back - a deranged person (6) 30 An accommodating woman (8) 31 Puzzling variations in game perhaps (6)

1

2

3

4

9

EASY PUZZLE

5

10 11

12

13 15

17

20 21

22

23

Yesterday’s Easy Solution

Down 1 Various needs are Across: 1 Crook, 4 Faction, expressed in 8 Mob, 9 In essence, 10 Ailment, music (8) 11 Ivory, 13 Tinder, 15 Artful, 18 Sweep, 19 Comfort, 21 As a 2 Not still lacking result, 23 One, 24 Foresee, support (8) 25 Hardy.

3 Exhaust seen on Down: 1 Compact, 2 On balance, American 3 Knife, 4 Fiesta, 5 Cashier, car (4) 6 Inn, 7 Needy, 12 Off-colour, 5 Bold break in using a 14 Express, 16 Lottery, crowbar (12) 17 Accuse, 18 Staff, 20 Match, 22 Air. 6 Some come up in a carriage (4) 7 Musical journals? (6) 8 Annoy with stinging Yesterday’s Cryptic Solution words? (6) 11 Got up and blushed Across: 1 Attic, 4 Husband, pink (4-8) 8 Ado, 9 Realistic, 10 Descant, 15 Line of peaks and 11 Rocky Mountains, 13 Needed, points (5) 15 Edison, 18 Crude, 19 Eclipse, 16 Tale of Troy’s 23 Ill, 24 Treadle, 25 Reels. ruin (5) Down: 1 Abandon, 2 Trousseau, 18 Taking things the wrong 3 Circa, 4 Hearts, 5 Stirred, 6 Act, 7 Decay, 12 Cost price, way? (8) 14 Elected, 16 Needles, 19 Local ranch where Incas 17 Recife, 18 Comet, 20 Loser, ate perhaps (8) 22 Use. 21 Craft in which wives seldom excel (6) 22 Stay to check mother in (6) 26 One of the football team will keep it (4) 27 Sea chief (4) Down Across 1 Cupboard for 1 capital of clothes (8) Poland (6) 6 7 8 2 Official list (8) 4 Occurring just once (8) 3 So be it (4) 9 Unevenly 5 Russian performed (6) composer d.

1975 (12) 10 Avid reader (8) 6 Such as (4) 14 12 Stratagem (4) 7 Prize of victory (6) 16 13 Spiteful (5) 8 Reduce in rank (6) 14 An attempt (4) 11 Quarrelsome (12) 17 Astounding (12) 15 In agreement (2,3) 20 Steady 16 Without 18 19 and welllet-up (2,3) balanced (2,2,4,4) 18 Mistaken belief (8) 23 Owl’s cry (4) 19 Severe 24 A stone fruit (5) snowstorm (8) 25 25 Rumour (4) 21 Greek Aegean island (6) 28 Charitable 27 gift (8) 22 Embarrassing position (6) 29 Sheen on old woodwork (6) 26 Have leading role (4) 30 Catch unawares (8) 27 Volcanic effluent (4) 31 Hurt (6)

24 26

28

29

30

31

Both today’s words in a moment

Chambers 21st Friday, January 12, 2018 Century dictionary (1999 edition)

*Calls cost 75p plus your telephone company’s network access charge.

TarGeT Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so the each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday

o P r m E aLPHaBea X THe

Halve your Target Time!

yesTerday’s soLUTion aCTiVaTor actor aortic arco attic carat cart caviar cavort ciao coat coati coir cottar cravat otic ricotta tacit taco tact torc toric tract tricot vicar victor

CAN you crack the HOW many words of four letters A 5 36 Alphabeater?

Each grid or more can you make from the B number represents a letter In making a letters shown here?

C used –word, or black square.

As inmay be 27 17 each letter Alphapuzzle, every letter of contain D once only.

Each must the the alphabet is used. But centre andthe there Emust 36 be24at you have letter to complete least word. grid too!one Use nine-letter the given F No plurals orblack verb forms ending in “s”. letters and squares G 12 28 below the grid to start. The grid is ‘rotationally H Today’s TarGeT symmetrical’ – in other Good 17; very good 25; excellent I 21 25 words, looks thesolution same if tomorrow.

33 (orit more).

J you turn the page upside down. solution tomorrow.

K 3 17 yesTerday’s soLUTion

aCTiVaTor actor aortic yesterday’s solution L arco Black squares: 7, 9, 12, attic carat cart caviar cavort M 40 cravat 4 16, 17, coat 21, 22,coati 25, 27,coir 29, cottar ciao 31, 34,ricotta 36, 39. tacit taco Ntact torc otic across: Cavalry, Charge, toric tract tricot vicar Ovictor 17 38 Flitter, Jocund, Egotist, P Adds, Spoof, Edge, Banquet, Vastly, Q 11 15 Yesterday’s Skimped, Backed, R Twelfth.

Call 0907 181Answer 2585 for Kakuro down: Airbus, Shroud, S 15 23 today’s Target solution Downsize, Agony, *Calls cost 80p per minute T Pretext, Allegro, Madam,company’s plus your telephone 35 U 18 Latticed, Gulped, network Retire. access charge.

*Calls cost 80p per minute plus your telephone company’s network access charge.

*SP: Spoke – Helpline 0333 202 3390

yesterda

15 Black 6 sq

16, 17, 21,

34, 36 27 31, 1 across:

Flitter, Jo

18 Adds, 3 Sp

Banquet, Skimped 4 Twelfth.

18 down: A Downsize 24 Pretext, 8 Latticed,

27

15

Full solution

0907 181 2558

Y 37 Z

1

*Calls cost 80p per minute 21 plus your telephone company’s network access charge.

Y

9

(Deduct each extra

29

Fu

0907 10

37

*Calls co plus your t 34 networ 22

V

0907 181 2560 X

27

Extra

15 0907 8

9 3390 1 9 W 202 Extra letter clues0333 *SP: Spoke – Helpline (Deduct three minutes for each extra clue letter heard)

Call 0907 181 2585 for today’s Target solution

16

the*Calls alphab c you have and last 2.5 t grid too!

U www letters and below the grid is ‘rot symmetric words, it lo you turn t 18sol down.

25 PLay

27

12

2

3

4

5

6

7

22

23

24

25

26

27

P

● Alternatively, for six Extra Letter clues

PLay More Crosswords and G

The Tribune | Weekend | 27

Friday, January 12, 2018

animals Jolly Johnson

The saga of Squirt the terrapin

“G

F

irst he was an egg, a tiny little egg, dropped on the side of the pond. Did his mother know he was there, did she care about his future? Probably not. In the job description of a turtle mom it says that she lays her eggs (in the same spot every year) and then bails out, leaving her offspring to fend for themselves, frequently with horrific consequences.

Squirt hatched with five brothers (or sisters). Unfortunately, we did not find them in the pond until they had been out for a few days. We took them in and placed them in a tank. Sadly, over the months all his brothers and sisters perished. I did my best and tried my hardest. When Squirt looked like he was heading towards the same fate, I was beyond myself. This turtle lady simply could not lose all the babies hatched in her own pond. Besides, each time one little turtle slipped away into turtle heaven, I felt a profound sadness and a sense that I had somehow let them down.

Squirt was the most perfect miniature turtle, just like the big ones but downsized. His food had to be small, the dry areas higher, and the tank was huge for him, but he and his brother were doing well until disaster struck one night. In the morning I found his brother dead and Squirt didn’t look like he was going to make it for much longer.

I was lucky enough to be able to speak to one of the veterinarians who care for the aquatic animals at Atlantis. The very first question was, “How much sun is he getting?” Oh wow, I hadn’t thought about that whilst worrying about his diet and the cleanliness of his tank.

When he was really tiny I had put him and his siblings in a kids paddling pool until one of them was carried away by a bird. I had become overly protective of this little fellow and therefore

By The Bahamas Humane Society ood day. My name’s Johnson...well, not really. You see, I was found on Johnson Road a while back and brought to the Bahamas Humane Society in the hopes that my owner would appear.

After 10 days I was made available for adoption, and now, several months later, I’m more than ready for a home of my own. The BHS thinks I’m fairly young, about a year old. I’m friendly with the other dogs but not so good with cats. Have you been looking for a friendly potcake to join your household? If so, come in to the BHS to meet me! Adoption hours are 11am to 4pm, Monday to Friday, and 10am to 4pm on Saturday, or you can call 3256742 for more information. There are no adoption specials on right now, but the adoption fees are very reasonable when you consider you are adopting a neutered or spayed and fully-vaccinated dog! Come and check me out!”

Squirt in his habitat

PET OF THE WEEK

PATRICIA VAZQUEZ

Animal matters Kim Aranha

was contributing to his ill health. Talk about the road to hell being paved with good intentions! She also advised me to get some turtle vitamins. Squirt had completely stopped eating, and no matter how many delicacies I tempted him with he would lazily turn his little head away. There was talk of him needing to be hydrated with an IV (on a turtle no bigger than a silver dollar).

However, as he is a fresh water turtle and not a salt water turtle, rehydration naturally was easier.

I put squirt out in the sun every day, popped the turtle “vitamin” dissolving block (shaped like a little turtle) in to his water, and waited…for days. Squirt came indoors at night. We checked that his water did not get too hot in the sun, and we watched for birds. There was one mocking bird who sat on the tree nearby singing to him constantly. I have no idea if it was in friendly overture or protecting his territory, or staking out lunch. Nothing happened, thank goodness.

Day by day Squirt looked more alert, poking his little head out of the water and trying to push my fingers away, surprisingly strong, when I held him to put clean water into his habitat.

Then one wonderful day I dropped in an adult-sized pellet, and guess who excitedly attacked it and ate it and four more like it.

I was beyond happy. Little Squirt is on the road to recovery. He can grow up into a big turtle and move into the pond with the other big turtles.

I know that there are people reading this who will think that I am totally nuts. I can hear the mutterings as they put the paper down, “This time she has gone too far, it’s a turtle for heaven’s sake!”

But to me every life, every little heartbeat, deserves a chance; every animal deserves a good life. Alas, we are totally unable to ensure this, but if you have an animal, any animal, in your care, then I believe that you have to do your best to ensure their wellbeing, and providing food and medical care is part of your duty. Do you get excited when your little turtle perks up and begins to show some pleasure in life and eats? I most certainly do. Call me crazy, but I never forget that vet in Rome who told me years ago that if you can go through life crying for a baby bird, you are a good person. I know I have many brothers and sisters out there who feel the same way I do.

28 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, January 12, 2018

gardening

Passion fruit One of the aims of maintaining a fairly large garden, says Jack Hardy, is to have fruit available for as many months of the year as possible.

M

ost of our fruits are tropical and produce abundantly in the summer months, but for many of the cooler months we have to rely on our continuously producing bananas and papayas. Now that our carambola trees have finished producing fruits we are fortunate to have passion fruit to brighten our taste buds during the winter months.

Passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) is native to southern Brazil, Paraguay and northern Argentina, a region that is sub-tropical. The Passiflora vines attach themselves to trees using tenacious tendrils but can also be trained onto

Passiflora incarnata chain link fencing. The vines produce beautiful flowers that in turn develop fruit, either purple or bright canary yellow (flavicarpa). The purple fruits are considered to have superior flavour to the yellow but there is very little difference between the two. Purple passion fruits tend to be round and have a thinner outer skin that is sometimes bruised or punctured when the ripe fruit falls. Larger yellow passion fruits tend to be ovoid or eggshaped and have a very tough outer skin. Both types have white dots or blotches evident at the juvenile stage but these disappear in the mature yellow passion fruit.

The purple passion fruit is not tropical and can be grown in temperate areas with some degree of success. I have seen them in both England and Canada producing their lovely flowers but not fruits.

The yellow passion fruit is truly tropical and loves high humidity. In the Bahamas both can be grown with equal ease. Crosses have been made between the purple and yellow varieties.

The yellow passion fruit can often be infertile and bear hollow fruits, or none at all. Not all your vines should be from the same source.

By growing both purple and yellow vines you will be assured of successful cross pollination.

The fruit’s name comes from the flower. Early Spanish missionaries in Brazil were somewhat upset by the rather naughty colloquial name for the fruit and re-named the parts of the flower in religious terms related to the passion of Jesus and his crucifixion.

Thus the five petals and five sepals represent ten apostles, leaving out Judas the betrayer and Peter the disowner. The purple corolla represents thorns in Jesus’ crown while the three pistil stigmas represent nails. The five stamens are the number of wounds and the leaves are spears. Dark spots on the underside of the leaves represent the 30 pieces of silver paid to Jesus.

To establish passion fruit vines you need either a chain link fence or a number of fairly mature trees. Start your vines

from fresh seeds that have been squeezed to remove their gelatinous covering. Plant half an inch deep and expect germination in three weeks.

Transplant to gallon pots until the vines reach about 18 inches tall. If the plants are substantially longer than 18 inches tall you should prune them back.

Transplant near to a fence and use twine loosely tied to the base of the vine to guide the vine to fence. Once the fence is reached the vine’s tendrils will take hold and progress will be rapid.

Attaching a passion fruit vine to a tree is trickier but generally more rewarding for the home gardener. I have my vines trained into mango and guava trees. Find a root-free area as close to the bole of the tree as possible and dig out a volume of soil twice that of your seedling’s pot. Perform the transplant and tie twine to direct the sapling vine to the tree. As with a chain link fence, when contact is made the vine looks after itself.

When a vine shows signs of wanting to increase its territory you can strategically tie

a cotton clothes line from one tree to another and train the vine into the next tree.

Passion fruit vines last about seven years but the end comes quickly. Vines can produce fruits in The Bahamas in their second year but are at their peak in subsequent years. Be prepared to start new vines when you originals are three years old.

The productive season for passion fruit vines is, in general terms, the cooler part of the year. Like guavas trees that can produce the odd large fruit or two at any time, the passion fruit vine can be precocious. From December through to spring the harvest is at its fullest. From the time a flower is pollinated to the ripe fruit dropping takes 70-80 days. Carpenter bees rather than honey bees are the main pollinators.

You have your passion fruits, now what do you do with them.

While inspecting your garden in the morning you can pick a purple passion fruit from the ground, break into it with your thumbnails, and slurp the pulp and seeds from the half shell.

Once you have a few basketsful in the kitchen you can juice your fruits employing a simple food mill that works when BPL doesn’t. I find that about 3 dozen fruits give close to a quart or litre of juice. You can sweeten the juice to taste by warming a cupful of juice in a pan then adding sugar and stirring until it has dissolved. Add the sweetened juice to the rest of the juice and stir. Passion fruit juice freezes well.

One friend of mine freezes her passion fruit juice (unsweetened) in ice cube trays. When ready she plops one into her insulated water bottle and tops up with water.

Passion fruit juice blends very well with apple juice. The addition of sweetened passion fruit juice makes a sensational cheesecake. My grandchildren (and great-grandchild) love passion fruit frozen pops. The list goes on…

• For questions and comments, e-mail hardy1342@yahoo.com